Post-MC Day 2

This morning was fantastic!!! I was planning to stick to OJ, soup, and maybe some fruit and yogurt today. However I've been feeling so good and my digestive system is working very efficiently;) so far so I don't see a problem with small amounts of other foods. I had half a pancake (with leftover organic maple syrup of course), a hardboiled egg and glass of diluted OJ this morning! WOOHOOO!! Food tastes great! Weighed myself this morning, half expecting to have gained a small amount since I began eating yesterday... but instead lost another 1.5 lbs! :) That's 11.5 lbs now. I've moved up 3 notches on my belt that I just bought a few weeks ago... which is great (!) but I don't purchase clothes often and was hoping to be able to use this one for awhile. Good thing I kept a couple pairs of jeans from a few years ago. Last night we wached a movie so I had a few pieces of popcorn and one Reece Peanut Butter cup (I know I know! But come on!!!! Haven't eaten in 10 days!!!). I have to tell you that popcorn has never tasted so amazing. Not only is it nice to be able to eat again, but food actually tastes better than it did before. My tastebuds seem more alert. It's wonderful:)

MC Day 10... sort of.

Well, the day didn't begin as per usual... nor continue as per planned. 6:15am: I wake up to feel pretty weak. Haven't even gotten out of bed and I feel shakey. My first thought, "I knew I should have made myself drink more water yesterday. Arrrg!". I'm terrible when it comes to drinking water. It doesn't taste like anything! Hard to force. However, saltwater is even harder... 6:45am: Up for the day. Can walk to the kitchen and no further b/c I start to black out. Ok. The obvious decision has been made to cut this cleanse short. I wanted to finish, sucky as it is, but don't think it's wise. Screwed up yesterday and am paying for it today. 6:46am: Head straight to the fridge and grab an a-m-a-z-i-n-g glass of orange juice. Mmmmmmmmmmmm! ...followed up by a glass of water. Time to re-hydrate and re-energize! A very exciting day to be done unexpectedly!! Here's my schedule for the following days: Today will technically be Day 1 of Post-cleanse. It will consist of orange juice, water, and if that goes down well I may be able to treat myself to some vegetable soup tonight for super! Yea:) :) :) :) :) I've been eyeing some leftover borscht in the fridge that I made for Kev and the kids earlier this week. Can't WAIT to endulge! Well, it won't so much be "endulging" as it will be "cautiously sipping and chewing just a little bit to ensure good digestion". That's okay though. Also, two doses of acidophilus per day, for the next 3 months. Basically, it is good bacteria which is commonly found in yogurt, but much more concentrated. It aids in digestion and helps to rebuild my digestive system, which has been completely flushed. Day 2 of PMC: OJ for breakfast, vegetable soup for lunch. If that goes well I may include some soft fruit and a small taste of yogurt. Day 3 of PMC: Raw Fruit, vegetables and yogurt. I'm dying to bite into a snowpea and have been this whole time. I could snack on those delicious green pea pods all day long:) One note on the yogurt: It's important to get a quality yogurt which actually contains a decent amount of active bacteria. My daily dose of Dairyland (oh so yummy and affordable) will not cut it I'm afraid. Activia is a good one. But a friend recommended one even better. I hadn't heard of the name (escapes me at this moment) but doubt our local grocery hub in Canal Flats will carry it. I'll also start taking psyllium husks for today, for a few days. It gives the intestine a final "sweep" when expanded in water or juice. Day 4 of PMC: Introducing grains and other dairy. The key during this post-cleanse period is to take it easy, so as not to get bunged-up; and chew very well - more than you usually would. As you may remember from Bio class, our saliva has some fantastic enzymes which aid in digestion. Very important! Day 5 of PMC: Keep with the current program, slowly adding more complex foods, one by one. In a couple of days I'll add some fish to introduce the meat category. By week two my system should be running normally again!

Licorice Root

I've noticed this past week that so many health teas have licorice. Why licorice? I looked it up. There are many good reasons!!! Licorice is VERY good for you (even in candy, but not as much;)). Here's a few facts: 1. Some varieties of licorice root are fifty times sweeter than sugar 2. Glycyrrhizic acid is extracted from the root and used as a flavoring in food, tobacco, alcohol, and cosmetics 3. It has proven useful in the treatment of coughs, where it serves a mild expectorant, and of sore throats, where its soothing properties bring relief 4. It increases the production of protective mucus in the stomach, and may reduce the acid secretion, making it a useful treatment of inflammatory stomach conditions 5. Licorice Root has been used as a laxative; to adjust blood sugar, reduce pain from ulcer and arthritis 6. Chewing liquorice root has been most helpful in giving up smoking as it gives the hands something to do and has the shape/texture of a cigarette 7. It contains vitamin E, B-complex, biotin, niacin, pantothenic acid, lecithin, manganese and other trace elements 8. Licorice root has gained a reputation for strengthening the body during times of stress. Since the 14th century, Licorice has been used to soothe coughs, colds and bronchitis 9. Licorice helps treat and relieve the pains that accompany certain types of ulcers 10. Licorice also has anti-inflammatory properties and may therefore help relieve the discomforts that accompany arthritic conditions

MC Day 9

The end is near!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Today went pretty much like yesterday. But just to humour us all, I'll recap it in standard format:) 6:04am: Woke up without an alarm and completely refreshed! I wanted to sleep, perhaps by habit, and had another 45 minutes available to sleep, but couldn't. I was officially awake. Very unusual. And almost amusing. 6:10am: Not that sleep matters anyway. Atalie is awake too and I jump up to console her back to sleep so she doesn't wake her brother with her whimpering noises. 6:17am: Not that consoling matters either. Aiden is now awake. I retrieve a bottle for him and some clothes and diaper for Atalie. My turn, to take a shower. Weigh 1lb less than yesterday. Total of 10lbs now. 8:30am: Saltwater torpedo time. Somehow I have perfected this sludge chugging technique well enough that I finished it in under the usual 10 minute time. I'm not sure if that's an accomplishment or not. Still as disgusting as ever! 8:45am: Aaack! I have to run to the bathroom already???! Well here comes a bit of stubbornness again... I've decided that I'm tired of running to the bathroom 10 times in less than an hour. I'm going to hold it. Daring. Perhaps stupid. But I don't care. I'm going outside to feed the dog so I may as well clean up the debrit she's left strewn about while I'm out there, in an attempt to stall the need for a potty break. 9:10am: Ok. Cleaned up the yard and fed the dog. I'll go to the bathroom now. I used this "stall" technique the remainder of the morning and only ended up going 4-5 times. Yay! See? Being stubborn at the right time isn't a bad thing;) At least, I'm glad it didn't turn into a bad thing! The rest of the day is spent drinking organic herbal teas and water. I'm learning quite a bit about the ingredients in my tea too. See post above for details on licorice root!

MC Day 8

Monday morning ~ "laa laaaaa laaa la la la..." Why do I think of that song (sorry, I'll try to come up with the name) every time I read those two words together? I know! It's because I grew up listening to 107.7fm 'The River' and they insisted on PLAYING IT EVERY MONDAY MORNING!!! Best station EVER!! (hint of sarcasm) Anyway, *ahem* it begins with me trying to once again avoid the saltwater torpedo. Yes, I've decided it should be renamed. "Flush" doesn't do it justice. 7:00am: To the weigh scale. 1lb down. That makes for 9lbs since the evening previous to Day 1 of this cleanse. 9:00am: Getting down to business. Saltwater time. Drink as per usual... results as per usual, just sooner (40min after finished saltwater). A good day so far:) I've noticed less need for lemonade as much stomach shrinks and appetite lessens. This may be a good thing though b/c it seems appropriate to wind down a bit, drinking more water instead. Supper for Kev and the kids is an easy one tonight, as they've all been so far;) Chicken fingers and french fries... I know. Real healthy Kendra. What's with this health kick you're on? Feeding your family crap?! Hang on, I included fresh veggies in there too!! (my desperate attempt to gain some self-respect back..haha) Well, I wouldn't feed them anything I wouldn't eat myself and typically we eat pretty healthy. I try to use fresh veggies in every meal, whole wheat whenever possible and usually cook from scratch. That being said, I also enjoy a good pizza (often bought frozen but prefer making them from scratch if I have the ingredients and energy), chicken fingers with fries, mennonite sausage with perogies and of course, a little Kraft Dinner on occassion (ya, I know that one's bad). I like to think that healthy food 90% of the time makes up for the not-so-healthy food the other 10%. Well, all in moderation right? A small revelation I had this evening, which really is not one that's new to anybody, came when Kev suggested, or rather declared, that I am stubborn. He expressed that he couldn't see why on earth I would stick to something that I am obviously not fully enjoying - drinking horrible saltwater every morning?? - drooling over each dinner as I prepare it?? - not being able to enjoy a delicious birthday meal with our friends this coming weekend?? Why not pick a different type of cleanse? My quick answer was, "Because it's worth it in the end". But I really had to think about that one because it seemed there was more to it than that. Why am I doing this? I admitted that yes, I am stubborn. But I hope not with everything. I make an effort to be pretty open-minded when it comes to hearing others' opinions and considering alternative options. I was prepared, from the beginning, to stick with the cleanse that I chose, so I researched my options closely. I came to the conclusion that yes, I am being stubborn in sticking with this cleanse. Stubborn b/c it's not easy. I figure that anything worth doing takes some amount of stubbornness, otherwise you'd never accomplish anything worthwhile! And there's nothing like a good sense of accomplishment! I chose this cleanse b/c it seemed appropriate for me and I'm sticking with it through the difficult moments b/c I see no solid reason to duck out. In other words, I'd like a sense of accomplishment once in awhile dangit!! So there's my small revelation. We've all heard it a million times, ..."nothing comes easy that's worth having". It holds true now too:) Two days to go.

MC Day 7

8:00am: Get up to realize that it is Sunday and if I want to leave for church at 9:20 I'm not going to have time to do the flush. Oops - should have compensated for this by getting up earlier. However I am honestly relieved that I'm off the hook for the day and think that it's probably not a bad thing to give my body a break. The rest of the day is spent drinking some lemonade, only about 1L, and water and tea. No laxative tonight. I feel it's unecessary all the time. I don't want my digestive system to become dependant on it. Not much else to report really. Feeling great today, again! No weight loss. Infact, these last couple days I'm 0.5 - 1.5 lbs more than when I stopped losing. I read that when you lose weight during a fast/cleanse, the first pounds drop rapidly b/c your body feeds off of dead cells and things unwanted... after that weight loss declines somewhat. That's a nutshell anyway;)

MC Day 6

7:00am: Aiden gets a bottle; Atalie gets cheerios and sippy cup of milk and cartoons. Back to bed for me! 8:30am: Up for the day - actually got to sleep in:) WooHOOO! ~~~ delaying saltwater flush ~~~ really really trying to delay ~~~ 10:00am: Ok fine then. Making my saltwater for the 6th breakfast this week. Can't seem to avoid it on this cleanse. I added 3.5 tsp salt to 1.5L water today. Thought it was necessary to get a proper flush... and it was! 10:15am: Done drinking, took a surprising 10minutes to down that sludge. 11:00am: WOW! Bathroom break. I'm now quite sure this is how the flush is supposed to work! I'll save some details and just say right here that I had 4 more bathroom breaks within the hour and another few hours later. Worked like a gem:) The afternoon was spent in Cranbrook, taking the kids to the waterpark (for a meager $6!!! It would normally cost $20 for Kevin and I - our kids are free still). We also headed to the grocery store - torturous. And then McDonalds - more torture. The bigmac Kevin was eating was almost draining my saliva glands... 4 days left! Oooo! One thing I definately want to mention is how incredibly GREAT I feel today! I feel light and airy (don't bother responding to this one Dad!)... kinda like my insides are open and breathing again. I first noticed it as I was walking through the grocery store this afternoon - my posture was straight and my shoulders were back, and relaxed! It was so surprising!! I haven't felt this good in, well, probably years!!! Very excited about that:) I've heard others describe feeling this way at a certain point while on the cleanse but I generally don't like to expect the same experience as others. Everyone is unique. 9:00pm: Movie with Kev. Last night was also a movie night as we watched The Hulk (pretty good!) but tonight is Mamma's Boy, with Jon Heder (guy from Napoleon Dynamite). Note to readers: You can thank me later for highlighting the words at the beginning of each paragraph, to make reading this a little easier on the eyes and brain;) Hehe.... still can't fix this paragraph problem apparently...

MC Day 5

7:00am: Wake up to realize that I don't have to babysit today b/c it is Friday! Yaaaaaay!!! Weigh myself: 1 lb weight gain. Strange. I think it's possible that I retained some of yesterdays water... not sure where else weight would come from when not eating. Water does weigh alot afterall... 8:30am: Make saltwater stronger yet. 3tsp total salt; 1.5L total water. 8:40am: Done drinking! Again, used a combination of weak water and strong shots. Works like a charm;) although tastes like somethingelse completely. 9:40am: Flush is here! Whoda thunk?! More salt equals more water flushed and less retained. I read that but didn't think I could actually go through with the sacrifice of so much salt. Well, no pain no gain I suppose. 9:50am: Flush again. I've heard that you can do up to 10 bathroom runs over the period of an hour while flushing your body out. Two was all I got. Some of the water was still passed through the bladder but not quite as much as usual, which is a good sign of the swf working more efficiently. I'll try slightly more salt and water tomorow. 12:00pm: Oops! Forgot to feed the dog! Poor Koda! I'm more on track when I have an extra kid to watch. Perhaps I feel more pressure to keep a scheduled routine when someone is paying me to;) Going to have some more lemonade after feeding the dog - I'm hungry!! I'm also amazed at how well it fills me up. I'm not as hungry these past couple days as I was the first few. Don't need as much lemonade and end up drinking more water.

MC Detox Stages

Detoxification Stages (I found this on the MC site, Discussion Forum) Here is an overview of the detoxification stages during a juice fast. The time periods are a general estimation: Stage 1 (Day 1 To Day 2) On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops below 70 mg/dl. To restore the blood to the normal glucose level, liver glycogen is converted to glucose and released into the blood. This reserve is enough for half a day. The body then reduces the basal metabolic rate (BMR). The rate of internal chemical activity in resting tissue is lowered to conserve energy. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen is pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, bad breath, glazed eyes and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period unless the enema is used which quickly assists the body into the fasting state by ending digestion in the colon. Stage 2 (Day 3 To Day 7) Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the gliceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. A pallid complexion is also a sign of waste in the blood. Ketones are formed by the incomplete oxidation of fats. It is suspected that the ketones in the blood suppress the appetite by affecting the food-satiety center in the hypothalamus. You may feel hungry for the first few days of the fast. This effect is temporary. The desire to eat will disappear. Lack of hunger may last 40 to 60 days, depending on whether you are on water or juice. The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing and healing. White blood cell and immune system activity increases. You may feel pain in your lungs. The cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. Periodically, the lymphatic system expels mucoid matter through the nose or throat. The volume excreted of this yellow-colored mucus can be shocking. The sinuses go through periods of being clogged, then will totally clear. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted feces on the intestinal wall start to loosen. Stage 3 (Day 8 to Day 15) On the latter part of an extended fast, you can experience enhanced energy, clear-mindedness and feel better than you have felt since childhood. On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body's increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 years before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body's ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle. If you lived on a junk-food diet, the body's natural healing ability was compromised. During fasting, the body's healing process is at optimum efficiency. As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older, damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a reoccurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain is good as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected, as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth. Daily gargling with salt and water will prevent or heal cankers. Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30) The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. While a short fast will reduce the symptoms, a longer fast can completely heal. Homeostatic balance is at optimum levels. The lymphatic system is clean except for a rare discharge of mucus through the nose or throat. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time. Memory and concentration improve. Stage 5 (Breaking the Fast) The sticky, toxic, mucoid coating on the intestinal wall is loose, and the first meal frees it from the intestinal wall. Toxins enter the blood through the colon. The gallbladder dumps its waste in a heavy discharge of bile. This can cause an instant bowel movement upon eating followed by intense diarrhea. If the symptoms are too uncomfortable, an enema will help. Autolysis After fasting for several days, the body goes into a condition known as "autolysis". This is when the body starts to feed on itself because you are giving it no solid food to feed off of. Fortunately, the body in it's brilliant design feeds on only the weak, diseased, dying, or dead cells. All of the vital organs, the heart, liver, kidneys, and the brain are spared and because of the absence of all of the sickly cells in your body, your vitals are actually rejuvinated and made healthier because of the clean bloodstream and unadulterated oxygen now circulating throughout your body.

MC Day 4

... brings another saltwater attempt. I was speaking with my friend about this whole ordeal last night on the phone. She clarified a rather important detail which I hadn't known about: when taking the saltwater you shouldn't drink anything else with or after, for a minimum of about 40 minutes... woops! This thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I feel a little stupid actually - I've been taking sips of a herbal cranberry tea, which is allowed during the cleanse and is great for strengtheneing your urinary tract (which I occasionally have issues with), amongst others. However, it's a diahretic too. Duh. My big bad bad. So today is a new day and I've decided not to give up. Try try try again. My friend also mentioned that when her husband did the cleanse with her a year ago he didn't have an effective saltwater flush until day 6 of the cleanse. A nasty little detail as to why: Cleansing newbies can take a little longer to "flush" b/c their bowels aren't used to liquid pushing the waste through. Ew! So there you have it. 7:00am: Up for the day; bathroom break and weigh in. Lost another 2 lbs since yesterday morning (8 lbs total). 8:34am: SWF (saltwater flush, incase I haven't said it enough). Slammed back 3 small shots of extremely strong saltwater amidst 1L of very weak saltwater, followed by 1cup plain water. Total of 2tsp seasalt per 5 1/4 cups water. 8:44am: Done drinking!! Record time 8-) Yippee!!! 9:34am: Blog while awaiting the results of the mornings flush. 12:00pm: Flush worked!! A little late, and not to the degree that it probably should but that's okay. Getting there! Make lunch for kids, feeling pretty hungry for the pizza wraps they're eating!!! Lemonade instead. The rest of the day was spent drinking lemonade and water, ending with the lax tea at night. I noticed a slight headache coming on late afternoon but it went away with plenty of sleep.

SWF

Salt water flush: Here's a little blurp on the "who, what, when, where, why & how" of it all. Seeing as how I've had endless questions on "are you sure.....?" I thought I'd post it for all to read. Check it out. Also, here's a few links to cleansing info I discovered when considering which one to do: Colon Cleanse Reviews (loaded with information!) Master Cleanse, Colonix I know these links are all on my original post about cleanses, but I thought I'd post them again b/c that was awhile ago and the post was ginormously long.

MC Day 3

Today: 3:30am: Bathroom. 6:30am: Bathroom.... basically this continues on/off for the next hour and a half. 8:25am: 3mL salt in a shotglass of warm water; 2.5mL salt in 1L very warm water. 8:40am: Done the sw. 9:30am: No signs of a bathroom break coming up ~~~ I think it may have been lost through my bladder instead. Tried walking around and chugging lemonade to push down any remaining sw. 11:00am: Still no "flush" from the sw. I heard a theory that your salt intake should depend on your body mass. One lady on the discussion forum said she takes 2tsp salt in 1L of water. That's just disgusting! But I've decided that it's double or nothing tomorow. If 2tsp salt does not work I'm not going to try it again... why beat a dead horse?! This has definately been an experimental cleanse. I've heard rave reviews, infact I'm doing it along with a friend who has done it before and she has had great results this whole time. We've been doing the same things but my body hasn't been responding the same way as hers. Perhaps I'll have to try something different in a little while. The Colonix still looks promising however I've been reading up on the Acai berry as well... Either way, I'll finish this cleanse as best as I can and chalk it up to an experiment on behalf of many who are interested;) Weight loss: 1.5 lbs this morning (total of 6 lbs) One more thing: I've had tons of responses (mostly via facebook) regarding this cleanse I'm doing. It's kinda fun receiving so many comments! I just want to remind everyone that I'm not trying to convince anybody to jump onto some sort of cleansing bandwagon. I'm not selling anything either. I'm trying to live a healthy lifestyle by cleaning out what I've put in. And this is the journal, for those who are interested (b/c there seem to be many!).

MC Day 2

Sooooo I think I've cleared up a couple of Day 1's confusions. First mistake: The seasalt/epsom combination was optional and I think I'll stick with pure seasalt for the morning saltwater flush. It isn't as bitter and doesn't make me gag. Second mistake: Don't drink Laxative Tea in the morning. It is meant for night time b/c it slows you metabolism a bit by working over a longer period of time. Third mistake: Even if you enjoy spicy food and the heat doesn't seem to bother your tastebuds, you must consider your insides!! Because I've been pregnant and have had to make food to feed young children for the past 2.5 years, I haven't had the opportunity to make much spicy food... thus, my insides were not prepared to handle the extra dose of cayenne which made my lemonade so tasty! By the way, I'm serious there. It tastes awesome with a little kick! So here's the days events (again, hate to sound like a broken record but this paragraph structure is rediculous - if anyone knows how to edit that problem in "html" mode please give me detailed instructions!): LAST NIGHT 10:00PM: Drank a cup of herbal laxative tea. Didn't taste bad. However, I'm not used to drinking tea w/o half a teaspoon of honey so that was different; also not used to licorice (sp?) flavour in the tea. Ok though! 6:30am: A el banyo! Yes, to the bathroom I go. The laxative tea works, as it is intended, OVER NIGHT. Not as terrible of an experience as I expected. Weighed myself - lost another 1.5 lbs (4.5 total). 7:30am: To the bathroom again. 8:30am: Make saltwater with 1L water (32oz to be exact) and 1tsp seasalt ONLY. Begin to drink while watching TV for distraction. The key is to relax, drink quickly, take a break, drink quickly again and continue to be distracted!! 9:30am: Finish saltwater, after trying a few tricks that is. I brushed my teeth countless times during the chug and used a straw so the taste wasn't swimming around my mouth. Much better!! Didn't gag at all. Woohoo! Still sucks though. I'd almost rather eat a partially raw hamburger than do that again (almost). 10:30am: Blog... b/c I'm waiting for the saltwater results. So far I'm thinking I will not do this cleanse again. I don't doubt it will flush my system out and get rid of many of the toxins which were present, and I don't mind the sacrifice of food (although I miss it), but it's just not worth the torture at this point. My alternative cleanse was the "Colonix". It would have cost $80 plus tax and shipping, but would have been the same cost as the Master Cleanse in the end and I believe you are able to eat some foods while on the Colonix. It takes a month b/c it isn't as extreme as the MC, but is also very thorough b/c of the time period. It's also been tested as most effective product out there. Next time I'll try that one I think. But for now, I'll continue what I've started:) 12:30pm: Make lemonade, drink over the next two hours. No results from saltwater flush. 5:30pm: Make second litre of lemonade and drink over the next three hours. Still no results from saltwater flush. I'm wondering if I just absorbed it?? 8:45pm: Blog some thoughts... I think I'm going to try a new technique of saltwater tomorow. I've been told today that the warmer it is, the quicker it goes through you and the easier it is to handle while drinking. Perhaps I'll try puting half the salt in a shotglass and hope to keep it down; if successful I'll put the other half in really warm (like tea temp but drinkable right aways) water and hope for the best. I better start "flushing" tomorow b/c that is the point of this cleanse! Apparently your kidneys can't separate the salt from water so it is sent to your bowels instead of your bladder. This is what "flushes" your colon out. hm. who knew??! 9:00pm: Put in girlie movie and finish my lemonade before taking the laxative tea at bedtime. Although I'm generally not into "brainless" chick flicks, I reluctedly rented one that doesn't look too bad... after all, Kevin is playing hockey tonight so I have the 42" to myself!! Wooohoo:) No hockey Night Tonight in my house! ...too bad I won't be endulging in a bowl of popcorn...

MC Day 1

Master Cleanse Day 1: So really, if you're expecting light, happy reading on the topic of cleaning ones body, don't bother to read further. There are vague details (if there is such a thing!?) but nothing gross. I realize this is a little out of the ordinary for my blog but whatever;) I've had quite a few people show interest and ask me to tell them my results so they can consider this cleanse as well. 8:30am: Starred at 25oz of water combined with 1/2tsp seasalt and 1/2tsp epsom salts. Attempt to chug failed miserably after 1 second so I added the optional 10oz of water to ease the taste slightly. Better now! But still not good enough, apparently... 8:45am: Have drank 15oz of the saltwater. All the saltwater comes up. Now what?? 9:30am: Decide to try a laxitive tea instead, even though it's intended for the evening flush only. 10:00am: Squeeze 3 lemons, measure 12 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp cayenne pepper & 2L water into jugs. First taste is POTENT!!! Could possibly breath fire. Note to self: Shake container before drinking anything containing cayenne!!!!!!!! 12:00pm: Done my first litre of "lemonade". SO much tastier than saltwater:) Trying to remember to rinse mouth with water occassionally while drinking lemonade b/c the acide apparently tends to wear down your teeth. Nice. 12:30pm: Make kids Kraft Dinner and drool:) Ok, it wasn't that bad. I've so far kicked the habit to nibble as I'm cutting cucumbers and apples or dishing out pasta for the kids and it hasn't been killing my will power (yet). 12:45pm: Potty break ~ go quickly! 1:00pm: My stomach is feeling unsettled. Hmmm... could it be the acid fire combination brewing up inside???? I'd say YES. It doesn't hurt and I don't feel hungry... just a little strange. Like I'm anticipating something unpleasant. 2:30pm: Potty break ~ run a little quicker! I'm now wondering if a laxitive tea is supposed to have an all-day lasting effect?! I didn't think so! Also, I'm wondering if the acid in lemon juice combined with cayenne pepper can produce an unpleasant feeling when on the pooper...? Possibly yes! 3:00pm: Blogging about the day so far b/c I don't want to lose track. I plan to drink another litre of lemonade before/during dinner, then (possibly, likely) try the laxitive again this evening. That's what you're supposed to do anyway. I'm waiting for responses on the MC Discussion Forum to see what others say first. Weight loss so far (b/c I'd be lying if I said I wasn't look forward to this part!) From night previous to cleanse up until morning of Day 1: 1.5 lbs From morning of Day 1 up until afternoon of Day 1: 1.5 lbs (Total 3 lbs)

The Master Cleanse it is!

And it begins. Tomorow. Which means, today is my last official eating day... and I'm going out in style. A bowl of popcorn and icy cold glass of Coke with a movie!! Then it's 2 days of liquids (oganic juices, broths, etc.); 7-10 days of saltwater, lemon/maple syrup/cayenne concoction and laxative tea (yummmm!); 5 days or so of raw, high protein foods to ease back into regular eating. Sounds delicious - can I count on some others to join??! Huh? Huuuuh?? I have a friend who I'm doing this with so it'll be fun (ok, wrong word) - supportive, to have backup when the concotions and laxitives just aren't enough;) Encouragement is great:) Then again, so is ignorance! If I knew what was really ahead I may not be so excited. And I am actually quite excited:) Increased energy and weight loss are the two most noticeable results apparently - and of course, the lack of appetite for junk food. So these things are pretty good motivators too. Anyhow, I'm letting everyone know that I'll be blogging about this (hopefully daily), partially to keep track of how I respond but also b/c I'm not sure whatelse I'll do with myself when my family is endulging in the delicious meals I've made them for supper. I may need to escape! :) I'll save nasty details, except for those who write in wanting them; may have to leave them in the "comments" section in that case;) Wish me luck (bad choice of wording again) - encouragement!

Kids, Thanksgiving, Baby Ruggles

Aaah the kids... it's been awhile since I've blogged! What better way to start it off? :) A walk to the park is pretty much a must when we go visit Grandma and Grandpa in Coaldale. The Christian school just got a new playground, which was pretty cool! Grandma helps (spots) Atalie while she climbs up the ladder! Aiden's look says it all, "More Grandmpa, spin me more!!!!" It was a big, thick, metal bowl that you sit in and spin. Aiden's expression says it all, again... "But I don't WANT to pose for this picture!! Spin me again Grandpa!" Atalie sits on the spinny thing (a small green disc that has a pole protruding up through it) but doesn't like to spin... just sit! Mom and Dad try the spinny thing for the sake of a fun photo and the dizzying effect afterwards:) Atalie brushes her own teeth. Grandma was quite pleased when Aiden jumped off Mommy's lap to go suggle with her instead! We were so excited to see Leah again this weekend and to meet little Finn Buckey Ruggles!! He was born on October 4th, weighing 9 lbs 12oz. SO sweet!!! Congrats again Leah (and Buckey!!!) This last one is one of the many beautiful mountains that everybody sees when driving through the Pass.

Finn Buckey Ruggles

I assume most people reading this don't know our friends Leah and Buckey Ruggles. They are very good friends of ours from Lomond, AB. Buckey passed away August 20th in a car collision (see past post). Leah was almost 8months pregnant at that time and yesterday evening she had a beautiful baby boy, whom Buckey chose to name Finn Buckey Ruggles (a perfect name, by the way!). He weighs 9lbs 12oz. We're thrilled for you Leah(!!!) and can barely wait to see you this weekend and to meet lil' Buck-junior! Blessings! (I'll post pics after Thanksgiving weekend)